Device for automatically displaying and withdrawing an original positioning scale

ABSTRACT

A device provided in copying apparatus of the type in which exposing of copy sheets to an optical image of the original is carried out by using reflected light. The device is effective to move an original positioning scale to display the scale at one end edge of the transparent original receiving surface, on an inner side thereof, when the original is placed on the original receiving surface at the start of an exposing operation, and to withdraw the scale out of view of the operator at the time of actual exposure, so that the scale is not in the path of the light reflected from the original while the copy is being exposed.

[ June 19, 1973 ilte States Patent 1 Hirose ass 75 3,630,611 12/1971l-loyer,.....................

[ DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAYING AND WITHDRAWING AN ORIGINALPOSITIONING SCALE [75] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-John M Horan Hiroshi Hirose,Tokyo,Japan AssistantExaminer-Michael Harbis Attorney-Henry T. Burke, Robert Scobey, P. E.

Henninger et a1.

[73] Assignee: Ricoh Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed:

Dec. 27, 1971 ABSTRACT 21 Appl. No.: 212,159

A device provided in copying apparatus of the type in which exposing ofcopy sheets to an o ptical image of [30] Foreign Application PriorityData Dec. 25, 1970 the original is carried out by using reflected light.The

when the original is placed on the original receiving surface at thestart of an exposing operation, and to withdraw the scale out of view ofthe operator at the 2 ,2 66 7 MW H 52H6 3 65 53 5 3 7 w 5 3 u 6 u 5 m.mwh c l r 8 e S I. .21 C u s" 111 2 8 555 1.1.1

[56] References Cited time of actual exposure, so that the scale is notin the UNITED STATES PATENTS path of the light reflected from theoriginal while the copy is being exposed.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures "TENN- 3.740.131

SHEEI 2 BF 3 INVENTOR fi/kosy/ H/RosE BY Alb. aim

ATTORNEY PATENIEB J11!" s aaetaura INVENTOR M2051 ///R05E Am I MATTORNEY DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAYING AND WITHDRAWING AN ORIGINALPOSITIONING SCALE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toa device for automatically displaying and withdrawing an originalpositioning scale having particular utility in copying apparatus of thetype in which exposing of copy sheets to an optical image of an originalto be duplicated is carried out by using reflected light, such forexample as electrophotographic copying apparatus or electrophotographicengraving machines.

In copying apparatus of the type in which exposing of copy sheets to anoptical image of an original to be duplicated is carried out by usingreflected light, the original is placed on a transparent copy receivingsurface. The original is illuminated from beneath the original receivingsurface so as to effect exposing of a photosensitive sheet or copy sheetto an optical image of the original by using the light reflected by theoriginal placed on the original receiving surface.

Originals from which duplicates are to be made vary in size; some arelarge and some are small. It is thus required to correctly position eachoriginal on the original receiving surface in order to obtain properregistration of the original with the photosensitive sheet at the timeof exposure. To this end, a scale is generally provided at one end edgeof the original receiving surface to aid in correctly positioning theoriginal.

When duplicates of a page of a bulky book are to be made, the book isopened and one half portion of the book carrying the page to beduplicated is placed on the original receiving surface while the otherhalf portion extends out of the surface of the apparatus with the boundportion of the book resting on a shoulder of the original receivingsurface. In some copying apparatus of the type described, the size ofthe original receiving surface may be substantially of the same. size asthe exposing area in order to econimize on the space in which theapparatus is to be installed. In such cases, the original receivingsurface must be made full use of, so that there is no room to firmlysecure the original positioning scale to one end edge of the originalreceiving surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention has as its object the provisionof a device for automatically displaying an original positioning scaleat the start of an exposing operation, and withdrawing of the scale whenactual exposure begins. The original positioning is moved to a displayedposition by a movable member actuated in association with an exposingoperation, such as a movable original keepplate support rod ora movablemember of a movable optical system for exposing, to display the originalpositioning scale at one end edge of the transparent original receivingsurface at an inner side thereof when the original is placed on theoriginal receiving surface, and to withdraw the scale out of view of theoperator when a photosensitive sheet is exposed to an optical image ofthe original, whereby full use can be made of the transparent originalreceiving surface at the time of exposure.

According to this invention, a device is provided for automaticallydisplaying'and withdrawing an original positioning scale for copyingapparatus whereby the scale can be moved automatically to be displayingat one end edge of the original receiving surface on an undersidethereof when the original is placed on the original receiving surface,but is withdrawn for the duration of actual exposure, so that theoriginal receiving surface can be made full use of at the time ofexposure without interfering with the exposing operation.

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of anelectrophotographic copying apparatus of the automatic elevationaloriginal keep-plate type incorporating the device of this inventiontherein.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional side view of the device forautomatically displaying and withdrawing an original positioning scalecomprising one embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 3 illustratingits construction.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional side view of the device forautomatically displaying and retracting an original positioning scalecomprising another embodiment of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention will now be describedwith reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings asbeing incorporated in an electrophotographic copying apparatus of theelevational original keep-plate type.

In FIG. 1, a transparent original receiving surface 1 is disposed at thetop wall of an electrophotographic copying apparatus, and an originalkeep-plate 2 which is adpated to be brought into and out of engagementwith original receiving surface 1 is supported by vertical support rods3 and 4 elevationally secured to a rear portion of the copyingapparatus. Original keep-plate 2, which is a rectangular plate made ofrubber or the like and is relatively heavy includes frame members 5 and6 disposed atits front and rear ends respectively and connected togetherby a relatively rigid connecting rod 7. Original keep plate 2 ishingedly connected at 8 and 9 to support rods 3 and 4 respectively.

Swing doors l0 and 11 are provided at the front of a lower portion ofthe front wall of the copying apparatus for housing such portion of theapparatus as a roll of photosensitive sheet (not shown) which issupplied to various sections of the copying apparatus.

An exposing device (not shown) is disposed in the copying apparatusimmediately below copy receiving surface 1. A cutter and an electricallycharging device (not shown) are arranged in suitable positions betweenthe exposing device and the roll of photosensitive sheet. A developingand fixing device (not shown) is disposed on the right side of theexposing device in the figure. The photosensitive sheet that has passedthrough the developing and'fixing device is discharged to a try 13 as aduplicate through an opening 12 formed in the right side wall of thecopying apparatus. These devices of the copying apparatus referred toabove are of known construction and operate in association with oneanother in a copying cycle upon receipt of instructions to initiatecopying.

An operation panel is affixed to an upper right-hand portion of thefront wall of the copying apparatus. A contrast control knob 15, printswitch button 16, repeat counter (means for controlling the number ofcopying cycles) setting knob 17, reset and count-down change-overoperation lever 18, manual and automatic operations change-overoperation lever 19, power switch button and indication lamps 21, 22 aredisposed on operation panel 14 in the indicated order from right toleft.

Levers l8 and 19 may be replaced by pushbuttons, and switch buttons 16and 20 may be replaced by levers. The repeat counter is of the typewhich can be switched between reset operation and count-down operation.When change-over operation lever 18 is moved to an upper position in thefigure, the repeat counter can be set at a reset operation; when movedto a lower position in the figure, it can be set to a countdownoperation.

Original keep-plate 2 can be switched to an automatic operation whenchange-over operation lever 19 is moved to an upper position in thefigure; it can be switched to a manual operation when lever 19 is movedto a lower position in the figure. When original keepplate 2 is switchedto an automatic operation, the change-over operation lever 19 for therepeat counter 19 is automatically set to a reset operation.

Original keep-plate 2 can be moved vertically in elevational motion whensupport rods 3 and 4 therefor are operated by suitable drive means. Upondepression of power switch button 20, original keep-plate 2 is disposedat its lower position immediately over original receiving surface 1 andbegins to move upwardly to its upper position shown in FIG. 1 so as topermit the placing of an original on original receiving surface 1. Ifprint switch button 16 is depressed after the original is placed onoriginal receiving surface, then original keep-plate 2 moves downwardlyagain to its lower position where it holds down the original to permitinitiation of a copying operation.

An original positioning scale 23 is arranged along one end edge la oforiginal receiving surface 1 at the underside thereof as shown inFIG. 1. Scale 23 aids in correctly positioning the original on theoriginal receiving surface 1 relative to the photosensitive sheet onwhich the image of the original is projected.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, scale 23 is shown as being affixed to a receive plate24 to which a support shaft 25 is firmly fixed. A rotary shaft 27 alsofirmly fixed to receive plate 24 is journalled by bearings 26a and 26bformed at one end portion of a plate 26 attached to a vertical wall A ofthe copying apparatus. Scale 23 can be moved angularly between adownwardly pointing vertical position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 anda horizontal position shown in FIG. 3 by means of rotary shaft 27.

Attached fixedly to wall A is a vertical base plate 28 which supports alever 29 through a support shaft 30 allowing pivotal motion of the lever29 in a vertical plane perpendicular to the support shaft 30. One endofa guide rod 31 is secured to a pin 29a extending from the top end oflever 29, and the other end of guide rod 31 is pivotally secured tosupport shaft 25 to allow support shaft 25 to rotate with respect toguide rod 31. A coupling plate 32 has two pins 33a and 33b firmlysecured thereto and loosely received in vertical slots 28a and 28brespectively which are formed in base plate 28 for guiding the verticalmovement of coupling plate 32.

A push-up plate 34 is firmly secured by screws 35a and 35b to couplingplate 32 which includes a horizontal arm 32a engaging from above a catch36 affixed to a lower portion of support rod 4. Horizontal arm 32a ismoved upwardly by catch 36 when support rod 4 moves upwardly. A spring38 is connected at one end thereof to support shaft 25 for normallyurging support rod 25 to move in a direction where scale 23 ismaintained parallel to the wall A of the copying apparatus, i.e., to theposition shown in solid lines in FIG. 2.

Operation of the mechanism constructed as aforesaid for displaying andwithdrawing the scale 23 will now be explained. Support rod 4 is in itslower position when original keep-plate 2 is in its closed position, orat the time of exposure. Accordingly, coupling plate 32 and push-upplate 34 secured thereto are also in their lower positions, and guidelever 29, guide rod 31, support shaft 25 and receive plate 24 aremaintained in the positions shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 by thebiasing force of spring 38. With this arrangement, scale 23 is withdrawnand maintained parallel to the wall A of the body of copying apparatus,i.e., the scale 23 is vertical, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2. Thisexposes all the area of the original on original receiving surface 1 tothe light of a light source 100, with a reflector 101, attached to amovable optical scanning system for exposing (not shown) and positionedbelow original receiving surface 1. Original positioning scale 23 is notinterposed between the light source and original receiving surface 1.

Upon receipt of a signal produced when the copying operation isterminated, support rods 3 and 4 move upwardly to move originalkeep-plate 2 to its upper position. Upward movement of support rod 4moves the horizontal arm 32a and coupling plate 32 upwardly throughcatch 36 to the positions 3211A and 32A respectively, shown in brokenline in FIG. 2, thereby moving push-up plate 34 upwardly too.

The push-up plate 34 which is originally maintained in contact with alower end oflever 29 as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2 pushes and causesguide lever 29 to pivot about support shaft 30 in a counterclockwisedirection to the position 29A shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. Then,push-up plate 34 is brought into engagement with duide rod 31 and pushesit upwardly to the position 31A shown in broken lines in FIG. 2.

At this time, receive plate 24 and scale 23 affixed thereto are moved bymeans of support shaft 25 in the clockwise direction to the positions24A and 32A respectively, shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, in which theyare away from wall A and disposed horizontally, parallel to originalreceive surface 1.

When scale 23 is in this horizontal position, it can be readily readfrom outside. It is thus possible to correctly position the original onoriginal receive surface I relatife to the copy sheet. When print switchbutton 16 is depressed after the original is placed on original receivesurface 1, scale 23 is withdrawn into a vertical position (as shown insolid lines in FIG. 2) in which it does not interfere with the exposingoperation.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the device for automaticallydisplaying and withdrawing an original positioning scale 23 whereinscale 23 is coupled to a movable member of a movable exposing opticalsystem. When the exposing optical system is in its initial position(shown in broken lines at the right end in the figure), a coupling plate40 pivotally supported through a shaft 39a by a support plate 39 affixedto the wall A of the copying apparatus is moved by a pin B attached tothe optical system to the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4. Thismoves scale 23 and receive plate 24 therefor from the vertical positionshown in broken lines to a horizontal position shown in solid lines. Inthe horizontal position, scale 23 and plate 24 are parallel to originalreceive surface 1. When the exposing optical system moves leftwardlyfrom its initial position to expose a copy sheet to an optical image ofthe original on original receive surface 1, the force exerted on pin Bto cause the same to push coupling plate 40 is removed, so that scale 23and receive plate 24 are allowed to pivot about rotary shaft 27 in thedirection of the shown arrow by their own weight or by the biasing forceof a spring 41 to their vertical position parallel to the wall A of thecopying apparatus. Thus, when coupling plate 40 pivots clockwise aboutshaft 39a, scale 23, receive plate 24 and coupling plate 40 move to thebroken line positions 23A, 24A and 40A respectively where scale 23 doesnot interferewith the exposing operation in which the original onoriginal receive surface 1 is illuminated by light from a light sourcebelow the surface 1.

Coupling plate 40 is provided, at a portion thereof which comes intoengagement with receive plate 24, with a holder 40a made of a materialwhich reduces friction with receive plate 24.

' What is claimed is:

1. Copying apparatus including a transparent original receiving surface(1), a light source (100), and means for exposing a copy sheet to lightreflected from an original placed over the transparent originalreceiving surface (1) and illuminated by the light source placed at theside of said surface (1) opposite the side over which the original isplaced, said apparatus also including first means (3 and 4, or B) movingbetween a first position held while said copy sheet is being exposed tolight reflected from-the original and a second position held at othertimes, wherein the improvement comprises an original positioning scale(23), a device for displaying the original positioning scale (23) toassist in proper positioning of the original over the surface (l) andfor withdrawing the scale (23) for the duration of the exposure to avoidinterference of the scale (23) with the light reflected from theoriginal, said device including means (24, 26, 26a, 26b, 27, A) forsupporting the scale (23) at the side of the original receiving surface(1) opposite the side over which the original is placed, means (36, 32a,32, 34, 30, 29, 29 a, 31, 25 or 39a, 40, 40a) connecting the first means(3 and 4 or B) and the support means for holding the support means (24,26, 26a, 26b, 27, A), at the time the first means is in its secondposition, at a first position at which the scale (23) is adjacent to thetransparent original receive surface (1) and visible therethrough fromthe side of the original.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including return means (38 or 41) for movingthe support means (24, 26, 26a, 26b, 27) to a second position, at thetime said first means (3 and 4 or B) moves from its first to its secondposition, at which the scale (23) is away from the original receivesurface (1) and does not interfere with the light reflected from anoriginal placed thereon.

3. A device for automatically displaying and withdrawing an originalpositioning scale for copying apparatus of the type having a transparentoriginal positioning scale with an inner side and an outer side and inwhich reflected light is used for exposing copy sheets to an image of anoriginal placed on the outer side and which includes an actuating memberactuated in association with an exposing operation, means for mountingsaid original positioning scale at one end edge of the transparentoriginal receiving surface on the inner side thereof, a support rodrotatably disposed along said one end edge of said original receivingsurface for supporting said scale to operate as a unit, an arm affixedto said support rod, and drive means for operating said arm inconjunction with the operation of an actuating member actuated inassociation with an exposing operation to display said scale on saidoriginal receiving surface when an original is to be placed on theoriginal receiving surface and to withdraw the scale to a position inwhich it is moved away from the original receiving surface at the timeof exposure.

4. a device as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuating member is asupport shaft for vertically moving an original keep-plate inelevational motion.

5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuat ing member is apart of a movable exposing optical system.

1. Copying apparatus including a transparent original receiving surface(1), a light source (100), and means for exposing a copy sheet to lightreflected from an original placed over the transparent originalreceiving surface (1) and illuminated by the light source placed at theside of said surface (1) opposite the side over which the original isplaced, said apparatus also including first means (3 and 4, or B) movingbetween a first position held while said copy sheet is being exposed tolight reflected from the original and a second position held at othertimes, wherein the improvement comprises an original positioning scale(23), a device for displaying the original positioning scale (23) toassist in proper positioning of the original over the surface (1) andfor withdrawing the scale (23) for the duration of the exposure to avoidinterference of the scale (23) with the light reflected from theoriginal, said device including means (24, 26, 26a, 26b, 27, A) forsupporting the scale (23) at the side of the original receiving surface(1) opposite the side over which the original is placed, means (36, 32a,32, 34, 30, 29, 29a, 31, 25 or 39a, 40, 40a) connecting the first means(3 and 4 or B) and the support means for holding the support means (24,26, 26a, 26b, 27, A), at the time the first means is in its secondposition, at a first position at which the scale (23) is adjacent to thetransparent original receive surface (1) and visible therethrough fromthe side of the original.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 including returnmeans (38 or 41) for moving the support means (24, 26, 26a, 26b, 27) toa second position, at the time said first means (3 and 4 or B) movesfrom its first to its second position, at which the scale (23) is awayfrom the original receive surface (1) and does not interfere with thelight reflected from an original placed thereon.
 3. A device forautomatically displaying and withdrawing an original positioning scalefor copying apparatus of the type having a transparent originalpositioning scale with an inner side and an outer side and in whichreflected light is used for exposing copy sheets to an image of anoriginal placed on the outer side and which includes an actuating memberactuated in association with an exposing operation, means for mountingsaid original positioning scale at one end edge of the transparentoriginal receiving surface on the inner side thereof, a support rodrotatably disposed along said one end edge of said original receivingsurface for supporting said scale to operate as a unit, an arm affixedto said support rod, and drive means for operating said arm inconjunction with the operation of an actuating member actuated inassociation with an exposing operation to display said scale on saidoriginal receiving surface when an original is to be placed on theoriginal receiving surface and to withdraw the scale to a position inwhich it is moved away from the original receiving surface at the timeof exposure.
 4. a device as defined in claim 3 wherein said actuatingmember is a support shaft for vertically moving an original keep-platein elevational motion.
 5. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein saidactuating member is a part of a movable exposing optical system.